On the Come Up

Written by Angie Thomas

Narrated by Bahni Turpin

Don't miss this audiobook, Audible's Young Adult Audiobook of the Year and an Audie Award finalist!

The YA love letter to hip-hop—streaming on Paramount+ September 23, 2022! Starring Sanaa Lathan (in her directorial debut), Jamila C. Gray, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Lil Yachty, Method Man, Mike Epps, GaTa (Davionte Ganter), Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Titus Makin Jr., and Michael Anthony Cooper Jr.

#1 New York Times bestseller · Seven starred reviews · Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral . . . for all the wrong reasons.

Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it—she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.

Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.

“For all the struggle in this book, Thomas rarely misses a step as a writer. Thomas continues to hold up that mirror with grace and confidence. We are lucky to have her, and lucky to know a girl like Bri.”—The New York Times Book Review

Hear about more of life in Garden Heights from Angie Thomas in The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Feb 5, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062840684

Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas is the author of the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling Nic Blake and the Remarkables series, The Hate U Give, On the Come Up, and Concrete Rose as well as Find Your Voice: A Guided Journal for Writing Your Truth. She is also a coauthor of the bestselling collaborative novels Blackout, Whiteout, and Breakout. A former teen rapper who holds a BFA in creative writing, Angie divides her time between her native Mississippi, and Atlanta. You can find her online at angiethomas.com.

[Brittany Wooden · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed every min. Would recommend to read. You won’t be disappointed

[Dax Palmer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

really enjoyed it from the beginning to the end number one

[Mary Bull · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

really good story about hip hop and making it big

[Josephine Akinwumiju · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you liked The Hate U Give, you will absolutely positively without a doubt LOVE this book. It's a continuation in the best way possible of T.H.U.G.. The internal and external struggle that Bri had throughout the entire book felt so real. Also, fact that she was split between two worlds in almost every situation she was in didn't make it an easier. Sometimes the person you want to be and the people see you as don't always line up and this book was the greatest example of that. There are so many different layers to people that not everyone sees or will get a chance to see. I also loved the different ways the book shines light on the how you can even be from the same family, and have different ideas on "how to make it". Bri is so talented and the audiobook made her shine!

[Charlie Angel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Yeah," I say & look at my mom, "long as I can do it my way."

[Julie Brown · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is an amazing audiobook, I’m glad I chose this medium for it

[Jennifer Renee Smith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book and narration were awesome. I hated to have it end.

[Anita · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book, it really made me feel connected to the characters

[Kim Lotarski · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's alright. Not nearly as good as "The Hate You Give". It just doesn't tap into the feelings that you see in THUG.

[Dayna Bennett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Angie Thomas does it again. Her voice is distinct, her characters well developed and lovable, and I adore Bahni Turpin’s narration. The evolution of Thomas’s characters is so endearing - this book will have you cheering for Bri and feeling like a proud big sister. Angie Thomas is on the come up!

[Angela Thayer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was just as engaged as I was while reading the Hate You Give... amazing!

[carolleen francis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This books was awesome and entertaining. I highly recommend this book. Beautiful story line.

[julesandherbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best audiobook I have ever listened to. I‘d recommend the audiobook over the written copy

[Adriana Ramirez Negron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

CHILLS. I got literal chills at the end. What a fantastic book. Loved it!

[julz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least make it out of her neighborhood one day. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died before he hit big, Bri’s got big shoes to fill. But now that her mom has unexpectedly lost her job, food banks and shutoff notices are as much a part of Bri’s life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

Review

I felt every bit of bri’s pain and anger as she watched her family scrape together to try to pay the bills, watched her aunt buried deep in the world of drug dealing, and struggled to manage her overwhelming music career on her own. I have mixed feelings about this book. I do enjoy Angie Thomas’s writing, however I find it a little bit difficult to fully put myself in another character's brain at her age. I wasn’t a fan of the constant rhyming and rapping going on in Bri’s brain during conversations she was having with other characters. I respect her creative brain and personality expressing her pain and thoughts into music but I'm not a fan of that.


Pros
I really liked the relationship between Bri and her friends. The Gay romance between Sunny and his online boyfriend. I’ll admit it was a shock to see who the online boyfriend was when he finally was revealed.


Cons
When it came to the scene in the book where Malik’s girlfriend asked Bri to go to the meeting and she was thinking about choosing, I was thinking she could’ve had someone record her say and thoughts on their phone so they could set it up to play at the meeting even though she wasn’t going to be there. Easy fix. Also the “big issue” that happened in the start of the book with Bri being shoved to the ground by the security guards was made to be a HUGE deal. My opinion is that although it was a bit excessive, if she had acted properly and cooperated she wouldn’t have been portrayed as a potential threat to the school and it wouldn’t have led to an “attack”. I understand she was worried about her candy stash but she made herself look like she was hiding a gun or drugs in her bag with how defensive she got.


Bri
Bri was a very frustrating character in this book. She's angry, resentful, impulsive, and outright rude at times. She gets into fights and doesn't play nice. She has a difficult relationship with pretty much everyone in the book. She pushes her family and supporters away, but believes she is doing it to get “on the come up” for them. Bri’s attitude really pissed me off. It was hard for me to read the book when she didn’t get that her actions have consequences. Her negative attitude/behaviour towards people and how she acts have negative reactions. After something “bad” happens like she mouthed off to a teacher she gets sent to the office and then complains it’s “racist”. I get that she's young and immature but come on. She likes to jump to conclusions and often acts without thinking about the consequences. Even when people tell her to watch out and lay low because whatever she might say or do will put her in a difficult position, she still doesn’t stop to think. She keeps making that mistake over and over again and I quickly ran out of patience.

[Kath · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book! Not as emotional as THUG but both moving and thought-provoking.

[Deja' · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The reader is amazing, the voice switches and the raps kept me interested the whole time and I’m hard to please when it comes to things like this. Passed my quiz with a 100 when I’d only listened a day before it. Totally recommend!

[Shakhira Jamaican Palmer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My second audiobook and both have been by Angie , I love her imagery and her ability to make me visualize all of the character’s mannerisms and lives in the ghetto. Keep doing what you’re doing Angie ✊?

[Arc-SoetanOluwaleke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

very nice. relatable and captivating story. great flow. held me all through to the end.

[nick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A VERY realistic story. Loved the brother/ sister relationship and the suspense with her friend possibly being catfished. Shows all young people have to deal with growing up, trying to figure themselves out. Really enjoyed the book.

[Ali Veach · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dear Angie Thomas, who wrote that tweet at the end and why you gotta leave us like that? Love this book and can't wait for the next book by you though no lie.

[Kim Fuller · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book! Excellent audio book! Enjoyed it immensely! Definately recommend

[Khalil Tajee Woods · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All that speaks out the tip of tongue is wow.

[S Sri · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Good. Includes actual rap and stuff which the main character says. Balanced and real; not just 'poor kid becomes star and all is well'. A bit about being yourself, a bit about poverty and a lot of fun.

[Tiffany Lempesis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Angie Thomas's books. Her sophomore novel is just as powerful and impactful as her debut! I cannot wait to read/listen to everything else she publishes.

[Ola Piasecka · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a masterpiece and I’ve no more words ????

[Jo'Van Prater · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Angie Thomas does it again! I felt this book to my core. I couldn’t put it down. It pulled me in from the very first chapter and I was hooked until the very end. This is one I have to purchase and add to my bookshelf.

[Mikael Taylor · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent, on every level. This is the best Young Adult novel I have ever read.

[Estelle Pizer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another BRILLIANTLY written and narrated book by Angie Thomas. I can't wait to listen to her next book, Concrete.

[sjgirl-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked that Bri always stands up for herself, that’s a great quality in a heroine, however, there’s a difference between standing up for yourself and Bri’s hairtrigger readiness to jump down everyone’s throat, too often her interractions felt like the stereotype that Bri spends the majority of the book claiming she doesn’t want to be. I’m not saying this girl isn’t entitled to anger, of course we all are, but anger being her go to response to just about anything that’s said to her, it made the character seem one dimensional.

Initially, you’re given the impression that Bri is a girl who understands the lay of the land in her neighborhood, plus she’s tight with an aunt who’s a gang member and she lost her father to gang-violence, so it feels contrived and story-dictated when a seemingly street smart girl is suddenly naive about antagonizing gang members or weaponizing her aunt. It didn’t add up, at least not believably.

Many of Bri’s actions throughout the book leaned towards selfish, regardless of saying she wanted a rap payday to lift up her family, it rarely seemed like she was truly thinking of anyone other than herself, and that, at times, made it challenging to like her or empathize with her.

I wasn’t sold on Bri’s potential romances, neither the boys nor the relationships felt defined enough to really invest in either way and Bri’s run-ins with her romantic rival did not help her likeability issues.

The rap battle early on provided one of the most engaging moments of the story and I enjoyed the way Bri’s brain works on the fly coming up with her raps, overall though that portion of the story just felt like a standard music industry arc that didn’t really offer anything new.

The family stuff, the financial struggle, the sacrfices the mom and brother were making, the tension between mom and grandma, the mom trying to get life on track while her past actions continue to haunt her and Bri, all of that was more emotionally compelling than anything else going on in this book, and I wish it had been delved into even further. Also, the more I got to know Bri’s brother (which wasn’t enough), the more I couldn’t help wondering how much more original this novel might have felt had it centered around him and looked at the more stereotypical events of this story through his eyes.